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Wondering how to control those pesky ants and flies? Worried about bigger pests who might be attracted to your sugar glider's cage and food? Here are some helpful tips from www.plannedparrothood.com.
GOODBYE FRUIT FLIES
The natural way: Put leftover food from the bird's bowls in a zip lock plastic bag and leave the bag slightly open overnight. In the morning the bag is full of fruit flies. Zip up the bag and throw it away. It takes several days to capture all of them. Yet another natural way: Put out a bowl of water and apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dish detergent. This will attract them and they get stuck in the surface tension of the soapy water and drown! Another method: Old fashioned fly strips do attract and catch them, and there is a pheromone trap that also seems to work. It is made by SureFire Products and is called the Fly Scoop which can be found in hardware stores. The pesticide way: Camicide Formula 50 is safe around birds and is effective.
REROUTE AND REMOVE ANTS
Camicide Formula 50 is safe to use around birds and is very effective. The ant canisters work well as the ants take the poisonous substance back to the colony, killing the origin of ants. Unless you can put them out of reach of the sugar gliders and other pets, don't use them. Other suggestions include sprinkling salt or yellow cornmeal in and around the perimeter of the building and in cracks and crevices. The salt eats away at the ant's armorplate and kills them. Be careful because salt can also erode cement and other surfaces too. Ascorbic acid (eye wash thats used to clean a babies eyes when it' s born) is effective also, according to the exterminators. Stepping on and killing an ant will bring more, as they "check in and out", and if they don't return....searchers are sent out to locate that ant. Also, when squished they send out a chemical that warns other ants of danger and it needs help. That brings ants back to the scene.
MICE B-GONE!
Some safe and effective mouse deterrents are as follows: the strange looking exotic fruit called "hedgehogs" or "osage oranges". If you place these around the outside of your aviary or home and in the basement and pantries, you will not see another mouse. I'm off on a "hedgehog hunt". Another mouse deterrent is fresh mint leaves or peppermint oil. Place leaves, dried mint flakes or cotton balls saturated with peppermint oil near obvious rodent entryways. They apparently don't appreciate the smell. Creates a nice closet smell. Bounceô, the dryer sheets, will supposedly deter mice too
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